West Virginia Division of Natural Resources

This strategic plan outlines the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources' approach to establish and manage a healthy, free-ranging elk population in southwestern West Virginia from FY2021 to FY2025. Key objectives include delineating and monitoring the Elk Management Area, continuing elk translocation to complement herd growth, managing a self-sustaining population to provide recreational opportunities, minimizing human-elk conflicts, promoting public awareness of the elk resource, and evaluating the population's health conditions. The plan aims to achieve a stable, self-sustaining herd capable of supporting a limited hunter harvest program, offering significant recreational and other benefits to the state's citizens.

The West Virginia Trout Management Plan for 2022-2031 focuses on managing trout populations through stocking programs and conservation of wild trout. Key areas include funding, public access, habitat management, ecological health, diversification of fishing opportunities, and education. The plan aims to enhance recreational fishing, protect native species, and address threats such as habitat degradation, climate change, and competition between trout species, ensuring sustainable fisheries for anglers.

The West Virginia Walleye Management Plan focuses on conserving and enhancing Walleye fisheries in West Virginia. Key strategies include increasing awareness and utilization of these fisheries, providing diverse angling opportunities, implementing clear and consistent fishing regulations, and utilizing biological and sociological information for effective management. The plan aims to promote diverse angling opportunities in appropriate water bodies by employing fishery management tools such as angling regulations and hatchery-reared Walleye stocking. It also emphasizes the importance of basing management decisions on sound science and data collected on Walleye populations and anglers.

The West Virginia Esocid Management and Stocking Plan focuses on the management and stocking efforts for fishes within the Esocidae family in West Virginia. The plan aims to protect and enhance Muskellunge populations, their habitat, water quality, and stream flows, increase the statewide Muskellunge fishery and diversify angling opportunities, increase awareness and utilization of the West Virginia Muskellunge fisheries, and ensure appropriate biological information is available to make informed management decisions.

The Whitewater Commission meeting included discussion of the budget, whitewater rule updates, and new member recommendations. The commission is awaiting the Governor's response regarding new members.